1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a solar heating device and in particular to a solar heat collector for use in a solar heating apparatus of the type which utilizes air as the heat transfer medium.
2. Discussion of Prior Art
The basic elements of conventional hot air solar heating systems include air ducts or pipes for circulating air from heat collecting panels or other heat collectors through a container of rocks where the heat is stored and back through the heat collectors. Separate ducts or plenums carry heated air to the various parts of the building containing the solar heating unit. Such solar heating systems or elements thereof are disclosed, for example in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,484,127, issued to W. Stelzer on Oct. 30, 1944; 2,559,871, issued to F. W. Gay on July 10, 1951; 2,680,565, issued to G. O. G. Lof on June 8, 1954; 3,243,118, issued to E. A. Morgan on Mar. 29, 1966; 3,412,728, issued to H. E. Thomason on Nov. 26, 1968, issued to J. H. Keyes et al on July 15, 1975; 3,902,474, issued to D. L. Pyle on Sept. 2, 1975; 3,946,721, issued to J. H. Keyes et al on Mar. 30, 1976; 3,994,276, issued to D. W. Pulver on Nov. 30, 1976; 4,006,856, issued to K. N. A. Nilsson on Feb. 8, 1977; 4,016,861, issued to M. F. Taylor on Apr. 12, 1977; 4,029,258, issued to G. F. Groth On June 14, 1977; 4,076,013, issued to J. A. Bette on Feb. 28, 1978; 4,088,266, issued to J. H. Keyes on May 9, 1978; 4,095,997, issued to K. F. Griffiths on June 20, 1978; 4,108,155, issued to H. Koizumi et al on Aug. 22, 1978; 4,137,898, issued to H. Koizumi et al on Feb. 6, 1979; 4,139,321, issued to F. D. Werner on Feb. 13, 1979; 4,141,339, issued to A. Weinstein on Feb. 27, 1979; 4,144,871, issued to D. F. Porter on Mar. 20, 1979; and 4,147,300, issued to W. W. Milburn, Jr. on Apr. 3, 1979.
The devices disclosed by the above-identified prior art vary in terms of both efficacy and complexity. From at least some of the patents, it is readily apparent that a need exists for a simple solar heat collector for efficiently collecting solar heat. The object of the present invention is to provide a simple, relatively inexpensive, effective solar heat collector.
Accordingly, the present invention relates to a solar heat collector for use in a solar heating apparatus of the type which utilizes air as a heat transfer medium comprising a casing defined by front, rear and side walls, the front wall being adapted to transmit solar heat to the interior of the casing, an intermediate wall extending between the side walls; first partitions interconnecting said front and intermediate walls and dividing the area between said walls into a plurality of heating chambers; second partitions extending between said intermediate and rear walls and dividing the area between said walls into an air inlet manifold and an air discharge manifold; a cold air inlet in said rear wall for introducing air into said air inlet manifold; air inlet openings in said intermediate wall connecting each heating chamber to said air inlet manifold; air outlet openings in said intermediate wall connecting each heating chamber to said air discharge passage; and a plurality of heat exchange fins in said heating chambers for receiving solar heat and transferring such heat to air passing from the air inlet opening to the air outlet opening in each heating chamber.